How does a midwife deliver? Read about my delivery of my baby son Oliver

In 2021, I gave birth to my baby son Oliver. As a midwife, I have assisted hundreds of deliveries, but what is it like to handle those contractions myself? Read about Marieke's own delivery.

I had a wonderful pregnancy, feeling good and enjoying the baby growing and moving in my belly. I felt strong and looked forward to giving birth with confidence. In preparation, I went to yoga, continued to exercise and did breathing exercises at home to give me extra relaxation. I also enjoyed listening to podcasts with positive birth affirmations. It all made me look forward to giving birth and the arrival of the baby, naturally curious about how it would really feel.

The due date came and went, fortunately the weather was nice and I sought distractions. At over 41 weeks, the contractions started and I was relieved that labor was imminent. At home, the birthing pool had been inflated in the bedroom for some time. Catching the contractions turned out to be nicer in the shower than in the birthing pool. After a night of catching contractions, I opted to go to the hospital and ask for pain relief. This was not my plan beforehand; I was going for a home birth. The plan changed when labor went differently. The hospital closest to me was full. The car ride to the further hospital was not too bad for me. In the end, Oliver was born there.

The birth plan is a very nice tool for thinking about your wishes and the possibilities during labor. That things could eventually turn out differently, I knew in the back of my mind. I was able to make an informed choice at that point to follow a new plan that was a better fit for me at that time.